


constant

by steveeology



Series: drabble babbles [4]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Bruises, Comfort, Established Relationship, F/M, Hurt, Hurt/Comfort, Post Civil War, Steve Rogers Needs a Hug, blood mention, pre infinity war
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-21
Updated: 2019-10-21
Packaged: 2020-12-31 07:48:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,141
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21120260
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/steveeology/pseuds/steveeology
Summary: requested prompt on tumblr: #32: the smell of blood & #64: violet bruised eyes





	constant

**Author's Note:**

> good god this is longer than i intended it too ahahahs

“Did it hurt?”

“When I fell from heaven?”

“When you nearly died, you fucking idiot.”

Steve, even with the pain on his side, made an effort to laugh, which sounded like he was choking. Y/N rolled her eyes as she tended his wounds. But the gleam in her eyes wasn’t lost on him.

“I told you to be careful,” she said, cleaning the blood off his side. The smell of blood makes her crinkle her nose. It was something she will never get used to. “But _no_. Here you are, walking into danger so willingly. How’s that bruise on your rib?”

“S'fine.” He said with a shrug. He winced a little when Y/N pressed her hand on his chest, the sting of pain causing discomfort.

“What about your eye? The bruise looks nasty.”

“It’s nothing I haven’t handled before.” He waved off. “You do know I’ll heal in a few hours, right?”

“Oh I know.” She replied, applying the bandages. “But let me be sweet for a while. I like taking care of you.” Y/N paused to glare at him. “Don’t take that as an open invitation to hand your ass off to danger. I like it better when you’re safe.”

Steve hummed a reply. There was a quiet relaxed atmosphere in the air. He watches her work around his wounds, and the silence that settled in the room gave him space to think.

It’s been a few months since he and his friends were on the run. The former heroes were now hiding as fugitives. Far away from their homes, they move from one place to another, covering tracks, blending in with the world, and still doing missions from time to time. Because we all know no one can never make Steve sit still when there are dangers out there he can do something about. So along with Natasha, Sam, Wanda, and Y/N, they work out of the radar.

It’s been a few long months, and Steve’s life couldn’t get any more messier.

He looks around the cheap hotel the team rented for the night. The room he and Y/N shared was exactly what you would expect – A squeaky and uncomfortable bed, wall paint peeling off, the sofa had mysterious scratches, and he swore he saw a bug somewhere. Not exactly luxurious but they make do. They have to.

Steve looks up to Y/N who was now finishing up his wounds. He loves seeing her like this – a cute crease between her eyebrows, eyes intensely focused, lips a little pouty and he wants to give them a peck. Then he thinks about the mess he made and how he dragged her into it – the accords, Bucky, Tony, the Avengers breaking up. She could’ve just stayed in the compound, safe from the harm that can happen while on the run. She’s done nothing wrong, but here she was with Steve, following him even when that would mean a painted target on both of their heads. He was a dead man walking. But she’s still here.

Y/N deserved more than this, and he couldn’t help but feel guilty.

“Why are you doing this?” Steve suddenly blurts out.

Y/N finished dressing his wounds. She raised a brow and gestured to his battered and bruised body. “Because you’re hurt?”

He shook his head. “No, that's… that’s not what I meant.”

She sat beside him, one leg on the bed and the other touching the floor. She reaches out to push some of his hair off his face and caresses his chin, feeling the scruff growing. “So, what did you mean?” She asked softly.

It was quiet, the kind that got Steve shifting in his seat and avoiding his gaze. Steve wanted to tell Y/N to just forget about it and act like this conversation never happened. But knowing her, she’s not gonna make him drop this. So he spilled.

“Why are you doing this? Why are you still here? With me?” Steve’s eyes settled on his hands that sat on his lap. “Our situation is messy. We’re on the run, we’re fugitives. We could get caught any day now. And I am not the easiest person to be with. I’m fucked up. I’m not Captain America anymore; I’m not even Steve Rogers.”

“But after all this, even when you saw how the world disregarded me, you’re always here. You could’ve left. Live normally. But here you are, even after all these changes.” He clenched his fists, throat closing in, eyes watering. “You’re an angel. You’re too kind, baby. Why? _Why me?_”

Y/N froze as Steve explained feelings. He’d never been the type to open up so easily. But today, he bsres himself in front of her, every insecurity and worry exposed. The man who is expected to always know what to do crumbles tight before her eyes.

She snuggled closer to him. He leans against her shoulder. “Steve… we both know I’m shit with words–”

The corner of his lips quirks slightly. “No you’re not.”

“Whatever, but hear me out, okay? Just listen.”

He nodded. She took it as a sign to begin.

“So, people always say that life is full of changes, right? It’s a universal truth. Change is inevitable. Sometimes it is good, sometimes it is the worst. If no one goes through changed, no one has ever lived a life. It happens. To anyone, to everyone… Still listening?”

“Yep.”

“Good, because Steve, we’re not indifferent to change. We live a life that changes every day. We don’t even know if we’ll still live to see the next day. And it happens so fast sometimes that we feel like we can never catch up. So much changes, we need an anchor. Something to hold on to, something to keep us sane. A constant.”

She turns to him and cups his face in her hands. She looks directly into those ocean eyes. “I’m not staying because I have to, Steve. I’m staying because I _want_ to. I want to be the constant. I want you to go live your life, get through whatever it may be, and when it gets heavy, you’ll just look behind you and I’m there. I won’t leave. I want to be the constant, honey.” She leans so close, Steve could see the tears brimming, her lips quivering, her hands shaking.

“I want to be your constant.” She whispered. “Let me be your constant, baby.”

And Steve closed the distance to kiss her lips. Their faces so close, they could taste the salty tears that streams down each other’s faces. The emotions pour out, the ones they’ve been trying to suppress all these months.

He doesn’t have to worry anymore whether or not she’ll leave. He knows.

And Steve will spend every breath to keep her safe.

His constant.


End file.
